Que es verde con moro?

As many of you know, I have just begun my summer in Ecuador. Less than one week into the trip, I already have too much to say with too little space to share everything. So far, this trip has been one of many firsts. First time traveling alone internationally, first time meeting new friends, first time not being able to flush my toilet paper, and first time living with a new family. I've seen active volcanoes, llamas, shrunken heads, and the equator. Meals occur late, eating takes forever, and everyone-and I do mean everyone-eats verde. Con moro, con queso, frito, y mas.

What is verde? Well, simply put, it is a plantain. Sometimes it can be sweet, sometimes it is mashed, sometimes it is grilled...the possibilities are endless. It comes mixed with cheese, or with rice, or fried to a crisp. But it's special because it's the main staple of food for the Ecuadorian people. It has nothing to do with race or class, it is just a tradition. A beautiful tradition.

Everything about Ecuador is beautiful. The flowers, the houses, and especially the people. Today I had the privilege of visiting Damien's House, the foundation where I will spend my mornings. The foundation serves adults suffering from Hansen's disease, or leprosy. There are a few more than 60 patients that call Damien's home. Only two are actively undergoing treatment; the rest are cured. Luckily for all that live there and work there, the disease is infectious, not contagious, so conditions are safe. Hansen's disease is particularly awful. Not necessarily because of it's impact on the body (although that is terrible too), but because of the stigma. Since the times of the Bible, lepers have been damned and rejected by society, cast away to exile. But these people were the most beautiful people I have ever met. For those who could see us, joy spread across their faces and shown in their eyes. And for those that were blind, holding a hand was an immense comfort. I have never felt so welcomed, so loved, and so touched in my entire life.

Little experiences like these are what makes a person who they are. How one chooses to react in a situation and live through it defines character. Seeing how the work of one person-Sister Annie-forever changed the lives of 60 intelligent, loving, faithful people really speaks highly of the sense of humanity and hospitality many people can share when given the opportunity. I am not sure what I will being doing at Damien's house during these next 14 days of practical experience. I may be crafting bracelets, creating hammocks, assisting with debridement, or determining dosages. Whatever it is, I am ready to dive right in. I feel so blessed and overwhelmed with happiness and appreciation to be given this opportunity. As much as I know I can give to these people with my time, I am so much more excited to see what I will learn from them in return.



Laundromats

When I was a little kid, I always used to be afraid of laundromats. I suppose I read Corduroy too many times; I was afraid a machine would suck up my own teddy bear, or maybe even me. Corduroy's story may have a happy ending, but I never thought those places were worth the risk. Since my younger days, I have set foot in a laundromat twice. The first was last summer when I lived in Des Moines and my apartment didn't have laundry, and the second is right now. The walls are a teal blue like Tiffany's, yet dragonflies are buzzing in the corners and the Pac-Man machine appears to me 30+ years old.

I have 25 minutes to sit in this little one-room building. So many different people are here. There's the lady with a fresh mani and pedi reading magazines in the corner, another sleeping, about to knock over her V8 can as her arm moves when she inhales. My favorite person here, though, is the little redhead running around. I'm guessing she is 4, and she's absolutely precious with her Sprite can and her "pretty and purfect" cat shirt. She keeps pointing at me because my hair is curly like her own.

This little girl isn't afraid of the laundromat. She runs up and down the isles yelling colors out as she sees them spinning through the glass doors. She jumps into the hampers and tries to climb into Mr. Pac-Man's virtual world. Her mom and grandma seem exhausted by her energy, and I don't blame them one bit. This little girl isn't afraid of anything here; she is happy and curious and ready to explore every corner of this place.

Her attitude is refreshing. It may seem weird to be influenced by someone so much younger than me, but there is something about her that makes me want to reevaluate my priorities. I want to learn how to care less about the small stuff. It's time to stop worrying about last semester's GPA, quitting my job, and losing important people. It's time to start living with peace, joy, and faith.

And that's my goal for the summer. Live and let live, love and let love. Like the curly redhead, I'm going to be friendly to everyone, explore people and places I'm not yet familiar with, and stop being afraid of how the past has influenced me. Thanks, cutie.


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Personally Professional

I've been doing a lot of goal setting in my classes lately. My CAPS prof as well as my Study Abroad Experience instructors seem to be oh so interested in my goals as an up-and-comming professional. I guess it's an easy assignment to grade. But, as I sit in Panera devouring my asiago and veggie cream cheese bagel, I'm starting to realize that the practice of goal setting can be very beneficial. Regardless of my unwillingness to accept it, there are only 8 days left of classes this semester. With the school year drawing to a swift close, I want to set goals for the summer. Next year is going to bring a lot of big changes, so a strong personal foundation will be essential for survival. The best thing about goals is that they can be anything; they can be serious, ridiculous, frivolous, huge, small, or a combination of any of those lovely adjectives, and then some. The following is a simple list of the goals I'm setting for this summer to bolster my sense of self, happiness, and connection to the world in which I am slowly becoming an adult.

*Read the newspaper
*Be joyful in my work at Dellwood
*Pack light for Ecuador
*Take a crash course on speaking Spanish
*Write letters to my favorite camp counselor
*Be open to, and trusting of, new relationships
*Craft
*Intentionally spend time with childhood friends
*Go to church
*Frequent the farmers market
*Take my mom to Eloise Butler
*Run at least 10 miles a week
*Keep in touch with my Drake family
*Explore Minnehaha Falls
*Be thankful

I don't know what next year will bring. I don't know what the summer will bring. Heck, I don't even know what tomorrow will bring (besides watching pole vaulting in the Jordan Creek Mall). But I do know that I want to enjoy whatever life throws at me. The good, the bad, the sad, whatever. Go set your own goals.

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Just Some Mid-Morning Greek

I love yogurt. I really, really do. Especially greek yogurt. I don't know why I ever became so fond of the stuff, but all I know is that if I was stranded on an island with only an assortment of yogurt for the rest of my life, I'd be perfectly ok with that.

As I sat in bed this morning, too lazy to get out of bed and be productive, I decided to fix myself a nice breakfast of yogurt and cereal. Strawberry Chobani and Lucky Charms, to be exact. And I read. Lately I've been reading Cold Tangerines. Smoons lent it to me to read before bed, but I love reading my favorite parts over again in the morning. There's just something about reading when the birds are chirping in the background. So here's what I reread and reflected on this morning:

"Life is a collection of a million, billion moments, tiny little moments and choices, like a handful of luminous, glowing pearls. And strung together, built upon one another, lined up through the days and the years, they make a life, a person."

Crazy, isn't it? I've been struggling lately with appreciating all the pearls in my life. I want them all, the whole multi-strand necklace. Now. But that isn't how it works, nor do I really want life to work that way. I want to learn to take time to examine each pearl for its luminous glow and imperfections. A few scratches here and there won't make my necklace any less beautiful, but if I pay attention as each pearl is strung, I may be able to avoid preventable damages. My breakfast this morning, the perfect atmosphere of the birds chirping, Jason Mraz filling the room, and sitting in that one perfect comfy, warm spot in bed was the last flicker of shine this weekend's pearl needed before being strung.

So here's to the weekend. Here's to Friday-to Street Painting and Froyo with Ann and Smoons. And here's to Saturday-to soup, salad, and breadsticks with Nate and Benito, and to Hope with Smoons and Emily. And lastly, here's to Sunday-to brunch with the kid who constantly challenges me to evaluate my life and character, and to Honor Board. This weekend is just one pearl, but my strand is definitely coming along.


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Back in Business

So, according to my post history, the last time I blogged was on March 17. Well, until tonight, I didn't have a blog app on my iPad, and the normal blogger platform wasn't conducive to my blogging needs. But, I finally found an app, so we're back in business!

Over a month has passed since I've had the ability to share my experiences on here, and, unfortunately, too many things have happened for me to write about all in one post. Remember when I said I wanted to blog so I wouldn't forget everything I've done? Well, here is a prime example of why I am in dire need of my constantcreativity workplace.

After an exhausting week that isn't quite over yet, and one hell of a Relays week looming in my near future, a photo post is all I've got in me. Time to join Smoons and hit the sack early! Nighty night, sweet dreams!



snap back jersey night




mags in minny at moa




my little gingy




the whole fam at Founders Day, Great Gram included




formal in Omaha




cap attack




black v-neck night





vettie and smoons, together forever. DG formal in a deathly storm

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Luck O the Irish...oh wait

Today is March 17, 2012. Most of the world is celebrating in honor of good old St. Patrick with some green beer or maybe a Reuben. Heck, if I had enough energy after my drive home from Iowa, I might have even made myself some green gluten free pancakes. But the real reason why today is so special has nothing to do with orange hair, freckles, or a green suit. It isn't about pots of gold or corned beef. Today is a day to celebrate something much more real: a birthday. 
The individual who was born on this day 20 short years ago recently said something very wise. Her insight made me realize why I value her friendship so much. Here's what she shared with the world when referring to a weekend chalk full of DG love:

"I believe that one of the most valuable things that you can give someone is time - to listen, to talk, to play, to just be together. I am so glad that this weekend allowed me to invest in so many of the people who continue to be main characters in my story this semester. I am beyond grateful for the person that they've helped me to become." 

There's no denying that this girl has invested more in her college relationships than anyone I've met thus far. She cares. She encourages. She inspires. She isn't selfish, or short, or frivolous; rather, she is intentional and aware of the effects her advice may have on those who look to her for guidance. All of these strengths manifest themselves through the time she spends with her friends. Through friendship frolics, friendship froyo, big bed sleepovers, and costume creations, she leads by example. Today is a day to remember all of the good she has done-all of the light she has brought to Drake and Delta Gamma. Today is her birthday, after all. This year is only the second year I've been lucky enough to celebrate this special, special day, and I can't wait to celebrate it far into the future.

So here's to Sar-my sisterfriend, conejo comico, and dearest friend. Happy birthday, girl. I love you. 

May we take a million more pictures before we graduate! #pewpewpew #tktktk #sisterswag

<3

Crush and an Ode

It's always nice to have one of those weekends. You know, the ones where you devote all of your time to the most important people in your life? Well, I finally had one of those weekends. It was long overdue, an probably one of the best weekends of the semester. Behold the picture slideshow! 

 RyFly, Max, and a best friend from high school. Who doesn't love spontaneous visits from long distance friends?

 Smoons, RyFly, and Max...the most influential people of this year. 

 Smoons, the girl who knows me best. She's there when I need her, even when I don't know it. She's not a blood sister, but it's totes fine. 

 Sarah and Shelbs...Resident Assistants represent! 

Favorite pic of the night. 

I couldn't know two people more opposite from me, and yet these two have taught me some of the most valuable lessons I've learned at college. Yeah, I'm really lucky.

Now, while having fun is important, I just can't handle the idea of not studying for an entire weekend. Sar and I have been holding each other accountable for studying medmicro, and I think it's really going to help us. Between a Saturday morning study sesh at Starbucks and an hour-long chapter meeting in Bulldog, I managed to write an essay about our study material and draft an ode. To which lecture notes am I referring to? Whelp! Herpesviridae lecture notes, of course.

So here's to Bennett and Nate, who wanted a public account, and Smoons and Kitty who will always have my back no matter how many drug names we have to memorize. 

Ode to Herpesviridae

Ye old Herpesviridae

how you get in my way.

WIth your latent creeping

and your eight forms of being,

I really hate your anti-kill powers.

You don't look like flowers.

No! On the contrary! 

You look like a sore or a wart or a pock

or a rash that itches, so you need oatmeal

from the kitchen. 

I hate the fevers, the malaise, and the anorexia

and the stares that scream, "what the heck are ya?!"

So beware the Herpevac, Varivax, and Zostavax

because thanks to them, your pruritis will be getting the ax.

XOXO Pharmacy Girl